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PCEC Blog By Wendy Poage

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, but it is easily treated when caught early - the problem is that too often it is not. That is why are proud to host the 25th Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (PCAW)!

We are committed to encouraging men to take a more proactive role in protecting their health, we have coordinated hundreds of sites across the country to offer free men's health and prostate health assessments to men at age 40 but we need men to stand up and take CHARGE OF THEIR HEALTH and the WOMEN IN THEIR LIVES TO ENCOURAGE THEM!

UroToday: Listen as Dr. David Crawford speaks on Improving Surivival in Advanced Prostate Cancer: The Changing Role of the Urologist.

Cancer.Net: Wendy Poage discusses her role as a Patient Advocate at the American Society of Clinical Onocology - Genitourinary meeting, exciting advances in the field and the role of advocacy in research.

PCEC presents data at the Annual American Urological Association from our internal research on indentifing which patient factors might be useful in developing a simplified hypogonadal screening questionnaire. Our researchers have identified health factors which can be used with a high degree of predictability to screen for hypogonadal state (low testosterone). Theses factors were used to develop the MAD screening questionnaire, which includes queries on AODM, obesity, heart disease and ED and can be easily introduced into medical practice.

Guidelines on early detection of prostate cancer, such as the AUA’s, are an excellent starting place for men and their physicians. It is important to realize, however, that the landscape of prostate cancer early detection is changing rapidly, with a variety of new biomarkers currently available to better enhance the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. Therefore, screening for prostate cancer is not a one size-fits-all proposition. PCEC’s goal remains to educate men and their healthcare practitioners about prostate cancer testing and new developments, such as biomarkers, so that together they can develop a personalized plan for appropriate follow up after a baseline test. PCEC is also dedicated to ensuring that men are educated about their options for testing particularly given that many are either without health insurance or under insured, which is why PCEC holds its annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Week.

Our hope is that men will understand that knowledge is power, and that by knowing more about their prostate health, they will be able to make better and more informed choices about screening and, if necessary, the diagnosis and treatment of prostate conditions.”

The FDA approved, Xtandi, an oral, once daily drug for advanced prostate cancer. This new agent is an antiandrogen therapy that blocks testosterone and slows prostate cancer growth. This product adds another valuable tools for prostate cancer patients and we are excited for the future when some of these products may be used earlier in the disease state.

The Prostate Conditions Education Council and the Men's Health Network announced the launch of a new era of collaboration and partnership. This collaboration is the first of its kind prostate patient advocacy and will allow our two complimentary organizations to join forces, capitalize on each organizations strengths a enhance complimentary efforts, programs and goals including awareness and education programs. By working together we will have a great impact in the US but also around the world!

The long awaited Premarket Approval (PMA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Beckman Coulter’s Prostate Health Index (phi) represents a promising and exciting advancement for men and their physicians. As the debate around prostate cancer screening continues, we welcome the addition of new screening tools that offer men options that improve upon current screening methods. Our hope is that new options like this test will help to mitigate concerns around screening by reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies, cutting back on the over diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, and lowering costs associated with prostate cancer detection.

PCEC data presented by Dr. Nelson Stone at the 2012 AUA meeting showed the patients who desired to have higher testosterone levels should consider lowering their fat intake and decreasing their current weight. Before urologists prescribe a testosterone supplementation, men should be encouraged to pursue a healthy life style.

PCEC's recent AUA abstract, presented by Dr. Nelson Stone, showed that men are more likely to atten prostate cancer screening because they had a higher, prior PSA, were older and African American. Through our continued educational efforts men do not got for frequent PSA testing if their previous values were low.

PCEC and Dr. David Crawford earned the BJUI Robert J. Krane Prize for the best clinical paper in 2011. This paper showed that even at PSA levels between 1.5-4.0ng/ml, a man's chance of having prostate cancer increases 15-fold. The award was presented at the 2012 AUA meeting.

PCEC believes that the USPSTF guidelines on prostate cancer screening will do more harm than good. the proposed guidelines will result in an increase in the mortality rate from prostate cancer, which will be most apparent in those at high risk, including African American men. The PSA test, provides valuable information for risk assessment, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment decisions for prostate cancer patients and physicians. We are excited about the developemnt of new prostate cancer biomarkers that will be more sensitive and more specific and will fill the gap identified between diagnosis and treatment.

Knowledge is Power. Screening and early detecion of prostate cancer afford men a great number of treatment options for their disease!